Fear
by SlaYeRGiRLkaL
Summary: After Jane's unsuccessful go at a suspect, Maura tries, and finds that this is a woman she understands, Maura takes her home and learns more about her, and about herself and her feelings for Jane
1. Chapter 1

Okay I think I'm tired of agreeing to the Terms and Agreements that haven't changed since like 2005 or whatever every time I create a new story! So you know what that means? Longer fic time! lol

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It had been an interesting evening to say the least. Gun shots had been fired in a small suburb in Boston, and I had been called to the scene. A young woman had been shot multiple times in the chest, and her girlfriend was Jane's suspect. The young woman hadn't been the one to report the shooting, a neighbor had, and I watched Jane drag the woman into an interview room at the station, and I couldn't help but feel pity for the young woman. Ten minutes in the room, and all Jane had accomplished was completely terrifying the young woman. She stormed out in frustration, and I grabbed her arm.

"Jane, you're scaring her," I said worriedly. She just glared.

"Thanks for that Einstein, I hadn't noticed!" I gathered that she had meant that sarcastically, due to her frustrations, and didn't take offense. "And she should be scared, she didn't call the police after her girlfriend was shot, which leads me to believe that she did the shooting!"

"Jane, let me try." Jane looked at me strangely, but only shrugged. I wasn't exactly sure what made me think that I could do any better than Jane, but I just felt that I could, maybe it was that gut feeling, that I always heard Jane talk about.

"Knock you socks off," I was sure that meant it was okay to go along, but I wasn't completely sure. "Go for it Maura, but I don't see her talking to you," Jane added, sensing my confusion. I slowly made my way into the interview room, and the young woman within reacted immediately.

"Why can't you people just leave me alone? I didn't do it, I didn't kill her, Jenny was everything to me, she was the only one that cared about me, she, she took care of me, I wouldn't hurt her." She stumbled over herself, as she spoke so quickly. She was nervous, and scared, and I felt for her. I stepped towards her tentatively.

"I know you didn't kill her," I began softly, "Detective Rizzoli needs to eliminate you as a suspect," She took a deep calming breath. "You're only a suspect because of your relationship to the deceased," I added, placing my hand on her shoulder gently. She flinched.

"Don't touch me!" She yelled.

"I'm sorry," I responded softly, in an attempt to calm her. "I've been told that placing your hand on someone's shoulder is supposed to be comforting," I said in an attempt to explain my actions. My words had caught her attention.

"You're not a detective." It was a simple statement.

"No, I'm not. I'm the Medical Examiner." She seemed satisfied with my answer. Jane clearly hadn't left a good first impression. "Why didn't you call the police?" I asked, after a prolonged period of silence.

"I was scared, phones scare me" She mumbled nervously.

"What else scares you?" I tried.

"People, telephones, driving on highways, or far away from home, getting lost, men, but mostly people, and Detective Rizzoli," She hiccuped. I chuckled at the last part.

"Detective Rizzoli isn't too scary, she's just frustrated and she wants to find out who hurt your girlfriend," I responded softly. She nodded in understanding.

"I know, but she's still scary." I smiled weakly.

"Do I scare you?" I asked.

"Not as much as Detective Rizzoli," She offered a smile. "You're like me," She whispered. "People scare you too, I can tell."

"They do," I replied. "But not as much as they scare you," I added softly.

"Is that why you work with dead people?" She was curious, and I nodded. "That's cool, must be a little depressing, I mean kids must come across your autopsy table often enough, people just kill people, but it must be interesting, and rewarding I suppose." She was becoming comfortable with me.

"It is rewarding, and sad sometimes, but I want to make a difference in the world," She smiled at that.

"It's nice to want to make a difference, making a difference in the world is good, I want to make a difference, but..." I knew what she was going to say, and she knew that I knew, it didn't need to be said.

"You said Jenny took care of you, what did you mean by that?" I asked softly.

"She took care of me, I'm not capable of working, I tried once, but I kept having panic attacks, and Jenny liked when I cooked, and she also liked my system of arranging the cabinets, and I went to the grocery store, I'm very comfortable in the grocery store," She added with a smile. "I wanted to take care of her, like she took care of me," Her eyes were watering, and this time when I reached out to touch her, she didn't flinch.

"Do you know what happened?" I didn't want to pressure her, but I felt confident that she would be able to answer. She simply nodded.

"Yeah, yes, there was, um, there was a man, he, he was, he was really tall," She stammered out. I just waited patiently for her to continue. "He, he came through the door in the kitchen, Jenny told me to hide when he was banging, I hid behind the counter. One, two, three, four, five, six, shots, he ran, I crawled out, blood, blood was everywhere, but Jenny was alive, she told me to, to calm down, tried, I loved Jenny, I would never hurt her," I instinctively pulled her against me as she began sobbing, and I kissed her forehead after a few long moments, filled only with her sobs.

"You've had a long day," I whispered as I pulled away from her. "You need rest, I'm going to take you home with me," I added before attempting to stand up. She offered me a weak smile and nodded in understanding. I stepped out of the room and spotted Jane, my eyes were watering.

"She didn't do it." Jane just stared at me, she was speechless. That woman was her suspect, or had been until I'd been in there.

"Are you really gonna take her home with you?" I nodded. "Why?"

"Because, I understand her," I didn't understand many living people, but this one, I understood. She was innocent and in complete distress right now, and she trusted me, and Jane scared her. "I'll take care of her Jane."

"She's all yours then." Jane's words were almost bitter.

"Jane?" I questioned, the tone of her voice left me confused.

"That woman just lost someone that clearly means the world to her, and I just scared her," Jane's eyes were watering as mine had a moment before. "And you went in there, and, and, she wasn't afraid of you."

"I understand her better than you do Jane, that's all. I'll take care of her tonight." I gave my friend a comforting squeeze, and she smiled.

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Reviews are LOVE!


	2. Chapter 2

So here is chapter 2

Summary: Isles takes Jane's murder suspect home with her, and learns her name, and some things that she likes, and Maura might be a little gay

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I took her home with me, just as I told Jane that I would. She was quiet the entire drive there, and stayed silent until I led her through the garage and into my kitchen, where she immediately noticed Bass.

"You have a tortoise," She said, leaning down to pat Bass. I couldn't help but smile at her reaction. She looked at me strangely, "What?"

"It's just, I've grown so used to Jane, I mean Detective Rizzoli, calling him a turtle, I almost forget that he's a tortoise." She giggled at my response.

"You and Detective Rizzoli are friends?" She asked softly. I nodded. "Are you going to tell her everything I say?" She was suspicious and I just shook my head. "You're a terrible liar." I grinned at her words.

"I've been told it's an endearing quality." She nodded.

"It is, lying has requirements, anyone can lie, but it's difficult to tell a believable lie, you have to believe that what you're saying is the truth, and you know it's a lie that you're telling, and it sounds unbelievable because of that," She explained.

"I know," I replied. Not many other people would understand her thought process, but I did. I didn't want to discuss lying with her though, so I attempted to change the subject. "How do you like to sleep?" I asked softly.

"Are you afraid that I'll be running around your house naked?" She asked with a grin. I understood that her joke was a way of letting me know that she was comfortable around me. I smiled, she was really quite cute, she just wasn't capable of taking care of herself.

"No, I'm not afraid of you running around my house naked," I said with a grin. "Though, if you plan to do that, I'd like to know your name first."

"Kelly," She mumbled, offering her hand. I took it in my own, and shook it gently. Her sleeve was covered in what I assumed to be blood, and that worried me. She was also wearing long sleeves on a day that had surpassed 90 degrees, which worried me even more.

"Why are you wearing long sleeves?" I questioned. I hoped that she hadn't hurt herself. She eyed me suspiciously, before answering.

"I like to dress warm, I like having the air conditioner on a very low temperature so I can dress warm, I don't hurt myself," She added the last part sensing my anxiety.

"Can I see your arms?" She tugged her shirt over her head the second after the words left my mouth. There were a few scratches, but they weren't deep. "Where did these come from?"

"I have a kitten, he is very frisky and playful," She smiled, and I believed her. I noticed that she was standing there in only a bra and that her arms were red from the blood that had soaked through her shirt.

"The bathroom is right there," I whispered, pointing in the general direction. "I'll get you a clean shirt," I added, as she walked towards the bathroom to clean herself up. I changed into a pair of more conservative sleepwear as Kelly cleaned herself up. She stepped into the bedroom as I buttoned the top button of my shirt, and she smiled. I handed her a shirt, much like the one she'd been wearing earlier, and she pulled it over her head.

"Do you like to cuddle?" I asked softly. I didn't want to let her out of my sight, but I wanted to make sure that she was comfortable. She nodded.

"I don't cuddle with anyone unless I know their name," She said with a small smile.

"Maura," I whispered. She let me wrap my arms around her waist and pull her into bed with me. She curled into my chest, and I slid my fingers into her wavy blonde locks.

"That's a pretty name," She whispered after a few minutes of silence. I smiled at her words.

"Thank you." It was her turn to smile. "Are you tired?" She nodded against my chest.

"I don't wanna sleep though, because if I sleep, I'll wake up, and it'll all be real," She cried into my chest. I continued to curl my fingers in her hair comfortingly. "I know it's real now, but, but I can't, I can't take care of myself, I don't know how," She sobbed.

"I'll help you," I whispered, before kissing her forehead. She looked up at me, offering a weak smile. "What do you like?" I asked.

"Writing, baseball, reading, cuddling, kittens," She mumbled. "Will my kitten by alright?" She sounded worried.

"I'll see if I can get him back to you tomorrow," I answered. "I'm sure he's fine," I hoped I was reassuring her. "Detective Rizzoli likes baseball too." She smiled at that.

"You keep mentioning Detective Rizzoli, if she hadn't been in such a foul mood earlier, I would say you were sleeping together, but she's clearly doing without," I chuckled at her comment. "You should really take care of that," She added with a grin.

"You're funny, but we're just friends, nothing more."

"But you want something more?" I shook my head, I didn't want anything more than what I already had with Jane Rizzoli, or did I? "Women make excellent lovers," She stated, as if that was a convincing argument. We were silent for a few minutes, as I pondered her interpretation of my relationship with Jane. "Do you like baseball too, or do you just like Detective Rizzoli?"

"I don't really understand baseball, Jane says I need a baseball education," I answered, avoiding the last part of her question.

"Is that your way of saying that you like Jane?" I shook my head.

"Not all women like women you know." She smirked.

"You're deflecting," She said with a grin. "And all women do like women, for every woman, there is at least one woman that she would go gay for, and for you that woman is Detective Rizzoli," She grinned. Kelly leaned over me and I was surprised when she pressed her lips to mine. Her entire body was molded against mine, and she felt so soft, and I couldn't control myself, and kissed her back. My hands had slipped to her ass when she pulled back. "You do like women!" She had kissed me only to prove that I liked women, it was cute, and just a little funny.

"I do," I whispered. "And I don't want to talk about Jane," I pouted. "And you really need to get some sleep." She nodded, smiled and curled up next to me.

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Reviews make me wanna continue, they also make me feel warm and fuzzy inside, and as such are very appreciated


	3. Chapter 3

Here lies chapter 3, it's short, but I've got plans for chapter 4 and this seemed like the best place to break without being a bitch and causing chain saw wielding crazies to want my head due to evil cliffhangers

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"So where is our lesbian murder suspect?" Jane asked, startling me.

"I'm doing the autopsy on her girlfriend, I'm not completely insensitive Jane," She continued to stare at me, making me feel awkward until I gave in. "She was feeding Bass when I left this morning," I found her interest in him to be incredibly adorable, but I'd never tell Jane that. "I told her I'd check in on her at lunchtime," I added a moment later.

"You left a suspect in your house, alone, with your turtle," Jane's concern for Bass was far from genuine.

"Tortoise Jane," I corrected, automatically, disregarding her mocking tone.

"Whatever!"

"And she's not a murderer Jane, she's just afraid, and you didn't help the situation at all." She chose to ignore me. "And I find it interesting that you've chosen lesbian as your describing word. Do you have a problem with her sexual orientation?" Jane chose to ignore my question as well.

"So what does she have, I mean fear of people, what's that?" I shook my head, Jane was coming off as very frustrating this morning, perhaps it was due to lack of sleep.

"It depends Jane, there isn't just a phobia that means fear of people, there are various situations in which one may be afraid, however, it appears that she has a severe case of social anxiety disorder." I looked up at Jane, and she was giving me one of those 'What does that mean' looks. "She has a fear of using the telephone, she's afraid of having a job, being around people she's not familiar with seems to make her uncomfortable, and that's really all I have to go on Jane." Jane nodded in apparent understanding, and was silent while I worked.

"So what did you two do last night?" I looked up and rolled my eyes at Jane.

"Well first she confessed to murdering her girlfriend, after I promised I wouldn't tell you," I paused for a moment before continuing. "Then she proceeded to convert me to her lesbian ways."

"Wow Isles, I didn't know you were capable of sarcasm," Jane was grinning. I actually hadn't known I'd had it in me either, the words had just seemed to slip past my lips.

"To be completely honest I didn't know I had it in me," I replied with a grin. I wasn't exactly known for witty sarcasm but Jane was frustrating me, and it'd just come out.

"So what did you really do last night?" Jane asked again.

"She's upset about her girlfriend Jane, she cried, and I attempted to comfort her." I conveniently left out the discussion about how I confessed to liking women, unintentionally and Jane in particular. Jane shot me a look as if I was leaving something out. "She likes kittens," I shrugged, looking at Jane, not exactly sure what she wanted me to say.

"Korsak rescued one last night," Jane announced. "Think it was hers?" I nodded.

"She said something about having a kitten, but she really didn't have much to say Jane. I mean, that's really the extent of my knowledge about her right now." Jane seemed to understand that I really didn't know much about the young woman. I seemed to understand Kelly, she seemed comfortable with me, but that didn't mean I knew her. "She likes baseball," I added, as that piece of knowledge surfaced in my mind.

"She likes kittens, baseball, women, and may have an anxiety disorder, great," Jane mumbled the words as she put her face in her hands.

"She likes one woman Jane, or liked one woman," Jane definitely had a problem with Kelly's sexual orientation, but I ignored that thought, that would certainly continue to control my attention. "And that woman took care of her, she depended on her, Kelly's not an independent woman, she needs someone to care for her." Jane nodded, I was trying to tell her that Kelly was innocent once again, but I knew that she was still a suspect, the husband, wife, boyfriend, or girlfriend were always suspects. "And she likes Bass," I added with a grin.

"She's still a suspect," Jane said in an emotionless tone. I nodded in understanding. "I'll ask Korsak about the cat," Jane added before leaving. I hoped for Kelly's sake that her pet was alright, and I hoped for my sake, that Jane didn't really have a problem with homosexuality. Actually I hoped that she'd just neglected coffee that morning and she was just in a pissy mood because of it.

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Reviews make me feel warm fuzzy and loved inside in a way that story favs and alerts do not, so please leave them, I'll be back sooner if you do


	4. Chapter 4

Here lies chapter 4, I know it's been like 10 years but at least I finally have chapter 4

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Korsak had arrived around 11:30 with a beautiful orange kitten, he wasn't evidence, so I was allowed to bring him home to his owner. I hoped this was Kelly's kitten. I hadn't asked her what he looked like, but I was holding an adorable tabby in my arms, and he seemed playful like the kitten that had been described to me. I brought him home with me for lunch. The look on Kelly's face when she saw him, told me that he was hers. She scratched his ears and kissed the top of his head lovingly.

"Thank you," She breathed, as she held him, and I could only smile in response. I glanced behind her and was stunned at the appearance of my kitchen. The room had never been messy, but it was sparkling now.

"You cleaned up," I said in surprise. She nodded with a smile, as she continued to pet her kitten lovingly.

"I'm a little Obsessive Compulsive about cleanliness in the kitchen," She said with just a hint of a smile. Though she was completely adorable, my mood had been soured by Jane and her apparent homophobia earlier, and thinking about that made me sad. "You're sad," She whispered, before enveloping me in a tight hug.

I squeezed her back, hoping to reassure her. "I'm fine," I mumbled, I didn't want her to know about Jane.

"You still can't lie," She said, with a grin, and there was a twinkle in her eye, that caused me to smile. "Did something happen with Jane?" I nodded.

"I don't want to talk about it." She eyed me strangely for a moment, as she chose her words rather carefully.

"That's a lie that you believe, you want to talk about it, but you think that you don't want to talk about it. I think you need some time to decide which." She was adorable, completely adorable in an awkward way that I could kind of relate to. Her words continued to make me smile, though they would surely cause many other people to furrow their brow in confusion.

"Okay, well when I want to talk about it, I'll let you know." I paused to take in the feline that was brushing up against Kelly's leg, he was adorable, just like his owner. "I don't have to go back to work right away, I'm waiting for some test results that could take a while," I started, hoping that I could take her to the pet store and get some things for the orange kitten, but her eyes watered. I attempted to comfort her, but tears were quickly falling.

"She's really gone, and I can't, I can't live without her, Jenny's been taking care of me for 10 years, I just can't do it without her," She sobbed. My fingers massaged her scalp gently as she sobbed uncontrollably. It took a few minutes but she calmed down. "I'm sorry, I just..." I cut her off.

"It's okay," I said pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I am going to take care of you, and not just until this is over, I want you to stay here with me, and I want him to stay too," I said indicating the furry creature that was still rubbing up against her leg. She offered a weak smile. "I genuinely like you Kelly, and," I picked up the kitten, "And I like him too, he's pretty cute." That provoked a smile.

"You don't pity me," She said softly. Her words were more of a statement than a question. I shook my head, I liked her, I didn't pity her. "Some people don't understand how scary the world is, it isn't completely irrational to be afraid. Jenny didn't pity me either, she understood that the world was a scary place, she loved me, and I loved her. Though she undoubtably kept me around because she could burn toast, and I was an excellent lover, but that goes without saying," She added the last part with a wink.

"You're flirting with me," I responded with a grin, "Didn't your girlfriend just die?" I regretted the words the moment they left my mouth. "I didn't mean to... That was insensitive, I-I-I'm sorry," I stuttered. She smiled at my response.

"It's okay, besides it's really cute when you stutter." She said reassuringly. "And I was flirting with you, you're really cute and sweet, and with a neckline like that though you must receive a lot of attention, bet your good friend Detective Rizzoli noticed them." She winked yet again, and she nudged me teasingly with her elbow. My expression quickly soured at the mention of Jane. "What'd she do?" Kelly asked noticing my expression.

"She doesn't like homosexuality," I sighed sadly.

"Because she's in denial about her lesbianism?" I chuckled softly.

"Why do you say that?"

"Her presence," She stated simply. I eyed her curiously, needing her to elaborate on her previous statement. "It's hard to explain Maura, she just has a really butch lesbian kind of presence, strong capable woman with a gun, it just screams lesbian." I couldn't help but giggle uncharacteristically at her explanation.

"Isn't that just a lesbian stereotype?"

"Stereotypes are based in truth though. Sure some may be offensive or seem silly, but they're based in truth to some degree." She was right, stereotypes did tend to be based in reality, I just couldn't imagine Jane being a lesbian with the words that had come out of her mouth recently. I didn't want to think about Jane right now though. "I'll help you with Jane, I'm sure she feels the same way about you, and she wouldn't have let you take me home if she didn't trust you."

She had a point, Jane wouldn't have let just anyone take Kelly home. She trusted that I wouldn't let anything happen to her, or let her leave, not that I thought Kelly would leave.

"Are you hungry?" I questioned after a long moment of silence. She shook her head. "He's probably hungry though." Kelly looked down at the kitten that was still brushing up against her legs and smiled and nodded in agreement. "We can go to the store and get him some food, and a litter box, and maybe some toys." She nodded mutely in agreement, and with that Kelly and I were off on our first adventure.


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